Chapter 9: Returning by Death

Lyra's eyes bounced across the room,

desperately trying to figure out why she was back inside of the guest room. She finally locked eyes with Rem, who was staring at Lyra as her head darted around the room.

Lyra: I-is this some kind of prank?! What's going on here?!

Rem tilted her head in confusion, clueless as to what Lyra was insinuating.

Lyra: R-Rem?

Rem was silent for a moment before having a more serious tone and speaking in a low tone.

Rem: How do you know—

Lyra: Hey where's Subaru? If this is... He should be— Subaru?! SUBARU?!

With Lyra cutting off Rem, something she would only do in this state of confusion, she leaned back and forth, side to side, to see around Rem.

If this is some sort of prank of putting me back in the guest room, then Subaru would have to be right over there! In the other bed—

After getting a clear picture of Subaru, right where he should be, Lyra couldn't believe what her eyes were showing her.

Just as before, Ram was over at Subaru's bedside where he was already awake. Except that instead of him being his enthusiastic self, Subaru wore an expression on his face that was just as distressed as Lyra's. No, even more distressed...

Lyra wondered why Subaru had the current look on his face that he did as well as why he was staring at his hands the way he was now.

Why is he staring so hard at his hands? Did they get more cut up or—?

Lyra: —Hk!

The bandages covering Subaru's cut and wounded hands were gone. Leaving hands that weren't cut in the least bit. Hands that were yet to be worked.

Lyra: Subaru... h-how did you—?

As soon as Lyra turned to get out of bed, Rem blocked her way.

Rem: Guest-sama, please stay where you are, you are not yet aware of your surroundings.

Lyra: No, Rem, hold on a minute.

Lyra quickly turned to instead get up on the other side of the bed, however, Rem placed a hand on Lyra's shoulder and stopped her even quicker.

Rem: Guest-sama.

Lyra: H-hold on, s-something isn't right! I need to check up on Subaru to see if everything is okay-

After still trying to get up, Lyra was instead brought back to her original posture. Unknown as to why she had moved back, it wasn't until she saw Rem looking down at her, suspicion written on her face, that Lyra realized that Rem had made her lay back down.

Recalling the last few seconds, Lyra realized that it was Rem that had pushed her back down, utilizing some sort of amazing strength she didn't think she was capable of.

Before either one of them could say anything, both of their attention was taken by the door slamming open and the very last blur of Subaru running out of the room, arm covering his head, leaving behind a messy bed. Lyra could only give him a look of concern as he ran out the door and into the hallway.

Lyra: Subaru...

Rem: Nee-sama?

Ram: He just bolted out after mumbling something about a promise.

Rem: We should chase after him shouldn't we? He will only get himself lost.

Ram: Rem, wait here with our other guest unless she decides to take a self-guided tour too, I will inform Emilia-sama of the runaway guest and go look for him.

Rem: Yes, Nee-sama.

With Ram closing the door, Lyra was left with questions still unanswered.

Did Emilia use healing magic on Subaru's hand last night maybe? Then why was he so distressed about it..? I don't understand...

As Lyra stared down at her bed sheets in thought, Rem pulled up a chair and sat at her bedside.

Rem: Guest-sama, are you feeling alright? Do you know why your friend ran off in distress? Did Nee-sama or Rem do anything to upset him?

Lyra: "Guest-sama"? "Friend"? You know our names, Rem, so does Ram. Why are you—?

Rem: A better question would be why does Guest-sama know our names? Rem is doubtful that Emilia-sama told you of us in any great detail.

Rem cut off Lyra in a stalwart, serious manner.

Lyra: I'm sorry but... what in the world are you talking about? We've been here for the past five days working—

Rem: I do believe you are mistaken on the order of events. Guest-sama has been asleep since Emilia-sama brought her here from the Capitol.

Lyra: — — —

How?! How...how...HOW?! Something about this just ISN'T right!

Lyra was absolutely lost. Her voice trembling, she pleaded to Rem.

Lyra: I-is this some sort of joke, or prank, or something about last night?! What is going on?! What has gotten into you today?!

Rem: Again, Rem believes that you are mistaken about things. You should lie back down if you still aren't feeling well.

Lyra sat up in bed and kept to her own thoughts. Finally, after a while, she turned away from Rem and continued to think, trying to wrap her head around everything.

Finally after what felt like an eternity, she sat back up, Rem still watching her like a hawk.

Lyra: I need to talk to Subaru. Something isn't right here...I need to figure out what's going on here!

Rem stood up and looked out the window to the lawn on the back of the mansion.

Rem: Guest-sama is in luck, it appears Emilia-sama has found him.

With this info, Lyra flopped out of the bed, still in just her nightgown, like how Subaru was still in his robe, and marched down to confront him.

With how he acted, he just HAS to know SOMETHING about whatever the HELL is going on!

As Lyra rounded the corner down the stairs, Subaru and Emilia were just making their way inside, cheery as ever.

Walking up to the two, Lyra grabbed Subaru's robe and pulled him away from Emilia.

Subaru: Woah,woah, H-HEY! What the hell are you doing-

Lyra: Strategy meeting. Huddle up. We need to talk.

Unable to fight back, Subaru was tugged along.

Subaru: Wait for me there, Emilia-tan! I'll be right back!

Puck: How rude! Just when you and Subaru were having such a nice conversation.

Lyra: Eheh...sorry...I'll try to make it as quick as possible!

Emilia could only look on as Subaru was more or less dragged away against his will.

Emilia: I'm sure Lyra has a good reason for this...

Rounding the corner to the hallway, Lyra opened the door to the storage closet, the very one she had grabbed a vase from, and closed it behind her

Finally letting Subaru go, Lyra began her interrogation.

Lyra: You wanna tell me just what in the HELL is going on here?! Huh?!

Subaru: What? What do you mean? Emilia brought us both back here after the incident in the Capitol—

Lyra: Don't give me that. You know what's up. I saw it on your face when you bolted out of the guest-room.

Subaru was now just as perplexed as Lyra was.

Subaru: I don't...

Subaru looked down at his hands, the same ones he knew hadn't been worked. Yet...

Finally, having had enough of it, Lyra grabbed Subaru's wrist and shoved his palm back into Subaru's face, almost making him smack himself.

Lyra: Don't piss on my shoes and tell me that it's raining, Subaru. I know for a fact that you didn't have Emilia heal your hands, you're too proud for that.

Subaru: M-m-my hands?

Finally getting his hand back to himself, Subaru could only think. No... No! There's no way she could possibly...

Lyra: Yes! Your hands! Your hands that were cut, blistered, bit, and bandaged! What. Happened. To. Them?

Taking several steps backwards and falling to his knees, Subaru couldn't believe it.

Subaru: You... you remember?

Patience running low, Lyra was tired of this conversation moving at such a slow pace when so much had changed.

Lyra: Of course I do! The work! The twins! Roswaal! The trip to the village!

Perhaps getting a clue as to maybe what this all entailed, Lyra calmed herself.

Lyra: Even my moments with Rem... Things I'll never forget...Please, Subaru...just be honest with me already...please...I'm worried...

Please don't be what I think this is...

Subaru: Was it you?

Lyra: Was what "me"?

Subaru: Did... did you... die?

Absolutely lost as to what Subaru's question meant, Lyra was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to respond.

Finally regaining her composure with a sigh, Lyra esponded as best as she could.

Lyra: The last thing I remember is going to bed...

Subaru: So do I...

Lyra: Then what's with the odd questions of dying?! This isn't the first time you've asked things like that. You did once in the Capitol, in my car, and another time when we were walking.

Taking a moment to think, Subaru came to a conclusion.

Subaru: Since you know and remember the things that happened, and you are the only one who does, I suppose I better tell you the whole story...

Subaru proceeded to tell Lyra about how he had been killed by the woman in black at the loothouse at least twice and had also died from being stabbed by alley thugs at least once before meeting her. He told her about how whenever he died, time seemed to reset to a certain point, almost as if he had time-traveling abilities of some sort.

Subaru told Lyra that he has called that ability "Return by Death".

Lyra: Wh...what...the hell...

Lyra looked absolutely terrified. Not of Subaru himself, but the fact that he had had to go through such horrible pain and relive it at LEAST multiple times over...

Lyra's vision began to darken and blur, and she started to feel dizzy and lose her balance.

Lyra: I...I d-don't feel so...good...

Lyra blacked out.

Subaru quickly caught Lyra before she could hit the ground.

Subaru: Lyra?! LYRA! Shit! Shit...shit...shit! I've gotta get someone! Emilia!?

Subaru rushed to get Emilia, who checked up on the unconscious Lyra and decided to let her rest some more in the guest room.

Lyra later woke up, with Emilia sitting in a chair close to the bed she was laying in and Subaru standing nearby.

Emilia: Hey, Lyra? Are you feeling better now?

Lyra: ...Is that...you, Emilia?

Emilia: Yes. I'm here with Subaru. He told me that you suddenly passed out while you were talking, and we both though that it would be a good idea for you to rest some more, so we carried you here.

Lyra: How long was I out for?

Subaru: Hmm...maybe about 30 minutes to an hour or so? Right, Emilia-tan?

Emilia: Yeah, that's about right, I think.

Lyra got into a sitting position.

Lyra: You're not gonna make me stay in bed the rest of the day, right? Not gonna lie, I was looking forward to hanging out with you both today.

Emilia smiled gently at Lyra.

Emilia: Oh, no! Not if you don't need to! We would be happy to let you hang out with us for as long as possible, as long as you were in the right condition for it. We were just worried about you, that's all.

Subaru: Yeah, we're just glad to see that you're doing okay now.

Emilia: That's right.

Subaru: Let's hang out then, shall we?

Subaru gave Lyra a cheesy grin., with Lyra smiling warmly at both of her new friends in response.

Lyra: Yeah! Of course!

With both Subaru and Lyra's hangout session with Emilia and their daily meals over, and both of their new jobs secured again as a reward for helping keep Emilia safe, Lyra returned to her room, where she scrounged out her solar battery and connected her phone its charger.

Sitting down at her desk, she realized that, while normally, she would begin studying with Rem around this time, that wouldn't happen until at least tomorrow now because of Subaru's "Return by Death" ability having been activated the moment prior.

At that very moment, Lyra had promised something to herself. She had made her own personal mental oath of protection towards both her new and (potential) future friends.

Lyra: I swear...I will try my best to keep you...and everyone else.. from dying as many times as I can...no matter what!

Lyra plopped down into her chair, fiddling with the same, albeit fresh now, quill pen. This continued for a few minutes untilshe heard a knock at the door.

Lyra: Yes? Come in!

Opening and closing the door behind her, Ram stepped into the rather barren room.

Ram: Raly, I took the liberty of writing down tomorrow's duties for you, like cutting the grass—

Lyra: Edging the walkway, trimming the shrubs, and sweeping the back porch. Got it!

Lyra gave Ram a smile, wink, and a thumbs-up sign.

Ram looked up from her note, moderately surprised that she knew exactly what she had listed.

Ram: Well then I guess there's no need to worry about you getting your work done, then. I suggest getting some good rest, it'll be a long day for you tomorrow.

Turning around, Ram opened the door and left without a second thought.

With Ram gone and nothing left to do, Lyra readied herself for bed. The late evening sun was still coming through her window, which made sleeping impossible. Lyra was left alone with her thoughts as she laid in bed.

I can't believe it...everything I did, every impression that I made, it's all gone...

Lyra laid awake and recalled everything Subaru had told her about his "Return By Death" ability. It was hard for Lyra to believe, but all the odd things Subaru had said or done up to this point made sense to her now. Lyra's mind raced with theories.

Why did she only appear on the last "loop?" Why wasn't she there for the earlier ones alongside Subaru? Why hadn't Subaru at least tried to tell someone else?

With it finally getting dark outside, Lyra finally began to feel drowsy. Her last conscious thoughts being...

Just what killed Subaru this time? Did I also happen to die too somehow?

With the dawn of the second day, Lyra woke up early and did her tasks. Having been familiar with where the tools were and how Ram would have explained how the tasks at hand were expected to be completed, Lyra was making good headway into getting them done early.

She wasn't doing this merely out of familiarity with the job, but rather, it was demoralizing on top of her other emotions that she felt about losing her moments with Rem, having to put sweat and blood into things she'd already done once.

While Lyra was cutting the grass, Subaru had made his way outside during one of his breaks, flopping down on the freshly cut grass.

Lyra: You're going to get grass stains on your uniform doing that, you know.

Jumping up, Subaru brushed some loose trimmings off of himself.

Subaru:Geez, you really did this quick today, huh?

Lyra: Yep.

Subaru: And it looks like you already cut the hedges too.

Lyra: Yep.

Subaru: Is that all you're going to say?

Lyra: Yep.

Subaru sighed. He had a clue as to why Lyra was being distant.

Subaru: Listen, I'm sorry I died, if that makes you feel any better.

Lyra stopped using the lawn cutter.

Lyra: No need to apologize. It's not like it's YOUR fault that you died, anyways, right?

Subaru: Y-yeah...you're right...

The two stood in silence for a moment, both reflecting on their own frustrations on the matter.

Lyra: Hey...if you don't mind me asking...what's it like to...you know...die?

Subaru looked down at the ground in thought for a moment before responding.

Subaru: It's... terrible..just...terrible ..

Lyra: Yeah...I figured as much...but, what did you see? What was it like being dead?

Subaru: The past few times, I felt the embrace of some lady...but last night, I was asleep,..I didn't feel anything that time...

Lyra: Hmmm...

Subaru: Is something on your mind?

Putting a hand to her chin in thought, Lyra spoke her thoughts aloud.

Lyra: I was thinking it over last night before I went to bed... what if you weren't the only one who died? What if it was me as well? Or...come to think of it...what if I was the ONLY ONE to have died that night? I'm the only other one who remembers what was lost...

Subaru: I have no clue. We still need to figure out why a reset happened.

Lyra : It's just... Why us? Why did you die multiple times before I showed up? What if it was just you who died last night? Why do these "respawn" locations change? Do you control them? Do I? What if I die but you live? Does me dying turn on a reset? Why am I the only one here with a Reading Steiner-like ability? Why—

Lyracontinued to go on and on, looking upward into the sky as if pleading to a higher power that she didn't truly believe in to answer the questions she had. Subaru stood back up and placed his hand on Lyras shoulder, stopping her. Lyra gave him a suprised look as a response.

Lyra: Hm? Subaru?

Subaru: I think it's best if we play this all by ear. We don't exactly have a guide book for this, so let's not worry about things we can't figure out right at this moment. I—, er, WE got through with our dealings in the Capitol, we can manage this.

Lyra: *sigh* Yeah you're right...

Changing the subject, Lyra decided to push the conversation in a better direction, should Subaru derail the idea.

Lyra: On the first day of work, I finished early, and I bet you probably will today as well. Do you wanna meet up on the back steps after work is done and take a walk and discuss what our game plan is going to be?

Subaru: Yeah that sounds like a good idea. Well, anyway, Ram's probably gonna come looking for me, so I'm getting back at it. See ya, Lyra!

Subaru and Lyra both waved goodbye to each other, with Lyra nodding and going back to cutting the lawn shortly after.

As the day began to draw to a close, just like last time, both Subaru and Lyra finished their tasks early. The workload was rather light, just like how it was on their first day.

After meeting on the back steps, the two made their way along the gardens, a familiar path for both of them at this point.

Lyra: So what's our goal here? Our main objective. Is it still the night of the fourth day?

Subaru: Yeah, I'd say that's it. We have to figure out what killed me. Or you. Or both of us?

Lyra: Do you think that Elsa lady could've tracked us down somehow, by any chance?

Subaru: That doesn't quite seem like her style though. Just killing without making a big creepy show of it? I think we're up against a new adversary here.

Lyra: So we have to simply wait and see what happens? Do we seriously have no leads to investigate?

Shaking his head, Subaru elaborated.

Subaru: Even if it really results in either of our deaths again, it's important to gather information.

Lyra: Given we still don't know if it was just yours, or mine, or both of our deaths, I can't say I'm really on board with that plan, but we really have no other avenue here.

Subaru: That actually reminds me. Say we do get reset again, do you really want to cut the same grass and hedges all over again?

Lyra: No. I really don't want to. Why do you ask though? Are you proposing next time around we swap jobs?

Subaru: Not in the slightest.

Slowing his walk, Subaru lined up with, and kicked a small rock on the path further down it.

Subaru: Remember when Roswaal said he'd give us any request?

Lyra was silent for a moment in thought, but responded quickly enough.

Lyra: Alright, you've got my attention. I'm listening.

Subaru: We should just ask to be permanent guests of the mansion.

Lyra: And what? Be this world's version of a NEET? Just two random-ass freeloaders?

With the rock Subaru kicked drawing close, Subaru lined up for another kick, sending it further down the path again.

Subaru: While tempting, not exactly. We'll probably get some clues on what happens on the fourth night, and we'll need all the time we can to investigate it, which is hard to do when we work most of the day.

Lyra: So it's in a bid to make future investigation easier? When you put it that way, I understand.

Getting up to where the rock landed from Subaru's last kick, it was on Lyra's side of the path now. Lining herself up for her own kick, Lyra gave it a go. Striking the rock with the odd part of her shoe, the rock tumbled off to the side of the path. Hopping and skipping across the uneven terrain, it finally bounced and hit a bench. A bench off to the side of the path, in the shade of a tree.

The very same bench where her and Rem had held hands, a memory now lost to all but her...

Breaking from Subaru, Lyra walked up the bench. The sadness of memories lost to only herself plagued both her mind and her consciousness. Lyra stood hollow, staring at the empty bench that would have occupied herself and Rem around this very time had things stayed the same. Her sorrow quickly become frustration. Frustration towards the experiences and accomplishments that now only existed as memories to herself.

Managing to keep it all together, despite her rush of emotions, Lyra kicked the rock further out into the greenery and returned back to the path where Subaru was waiting. He had a clue as to what was on Lyra's mind, but chose not to mention anything.

The two only talked lightly as they made their way back in the direction of the mansion. As they walked up the steps to the back porch area, they were met by Ram.

Ram: Barusu, Raly.

Subaru: Oh hey Ram, what's up?

Ram snorted.

Ram: Quite the show of disrespect to address your superior with such casual language.

Subaru: Well, we are on our own time here, and—

Lyra: Anyway, did you have something you needed to tell us Ram?

Showing an ever so slight appreciation for cutting off Subaru, Ram spoke to Lyra in a slightly less disappointed tone.

Ram: Yes. I'll get right to it then.

Raising a finger to Subaru, Ram pointed.

Ram: It is obvious that you, Barusu are illiterate.

Turning the direction her finger pointed towards Lyra Ram continued.

Ram: —and you, Raly, know about only enough to write a few words, spare your own name.

Crossing her arms now and with her eyes closed, Ram arrogantly announced what she had to say.

Ram: That is why, Barusu, I will be tutoring you after the day's work is done. Raly, since you originally requested tutoring alongside a position here, and Rem agreed to take it on, she will still be tutoring you.

Subaru: Alright, so I'll be learning the same things as Lyra, then?

Ram: No. I'll be instructing you in a more utilitarian fashion, how to write orders, make lists, and how to read instructions, making you more effective at your work, which means less work for me, which means less work for Rem.

Subaru slumped his shoulders and hung his head.

Subaru: At least you were true about your intentions in showing me

Ram smiled, putting herself on airs.

Ram: I think my honesty is one of my most charming features.

Resuming her previous expression, Ram concluded what she had to say.

Ram: Barusu, I will be up to your room later to begin. Raly, Rem is already waiting for you.

Lyra: Got it. Thanks for letting us know, Ram.

Ram let out a smug "Ha!" and walked off.

And with that, Subaru and Lyra headed back to their respective rooms for their next lessons.